PYTHIAN
GAMES
2015
Dalhousie's Festival of Literary & Artistic Performance
On Friday, the 20th of March, 2015, the Department of Classics at Dalhousie University will be hosting its fourth annual revival of the ancient Pythian Games.
The Games will take place from 5 to 7pm in the Scotiabank Auditorium in the McCain Building (6135 University Ave., Halifax, NS, Canada) and will feature a wide variety of literary and artistic performances. There will be serious prizes.
All Dal students are welcome to perform in the Pythian Games. Everyone in the world is welcome to attend!
A Tradition of Glory, Folly, and Excitement
We didn't quite know what we were in for when we revived the Pythian Games in the Spring of 2014. 1617 years had passed since the Emperor Theodosius had shut the first ones down in 394 AD. Was he on to something we didn't know about?
In fact we've had a ton of fun. Poems, stories, plays, songs, and musical pieces have filled three years of friendly competition with the stuff of literary fame and infamy. We've seen performances in English, French, Ancient Greek, Latin, German, Russian, Arabic, Welsh, Old Norse, and Old Elvish. We've seen original compositions in both English and Latin (some very fine ones in both!). We've seen shows that brought the happy audience to its feet and spoofs that would curl your arm hair. It's been a blast.
This Year, Come Visit the Underworld
One component of this year's Pythian Games will be a theme of The Underworld. Many different literary traditions have sent their heroes and narrators to the Nether Realm, so why can't we? Got an Underworld adventure you want to bring to life? Enter the Pythian Games!
Enter the Pythian Games
To enter the Pythian Games, please email the Praecentor, Dr. Jack Mitchell (jack.mitchell@dal.ca) before 17 March 2014.
Orpheus and Eurydice (1806) by C. G. Kratzenstein-Stub